Poly(arylene sulfide), such as poly(phenylene sulfide), is a useful and respected matrix material for antifriction compositions such as self-lubricating bearings. These compositions commonly have employed components comprising poly(arylene sulfide), a solid lubricating component, a reinforcing material, and a modest but expensive amount of antimony oxide as a filler.
Antimony trioxide has been a filler of choice because of its compatibility with the other components, availability, and moderate cost. Unfortunately, antimony trioxide no longer is so readily available, and its cost has been increasing rapidly, making it now a major cost factor in formulation of such bearings. Needed are materials capable of replacing the antimony trioxide in whole or in part, yet holding the cost line, while maintaining the highly desirable properties such as tensile strength of the polymer of the composition, and yet providing adequate bearing wear test results, low wear, low coefficient of friction.